HECHO: Year End Review

Dear Friends,

Reflecting back on this year as a whole, I am so proud of the incredible progress we made-- both internally for HECHO and through HECHO’s many contributions to the greater public lands conservation policy world. I am excited to be reporting back to you about our progress, and hope that you see the momentum we’ve built and will be leveraging for years to come.

This year, we went from a staff of three to a staff of seven-- filling critical capacity gaps on-the-ground and in our nation’s capital. We officially launched the Hispanic Conservation Leadership Council (HCLC) with 50 inaugural members signed up and committed to elevate their voices for and with their communities about public land and water conservation, an incredible milestone toward our goal of 100 leaders by 2023. We completed an overhaul of our website giving it a new look and better organization. And, we launched a three-year fundraising plan to help us bring to fruition HECHO’s 2020-2023 strategic plan. These accomplishments support our ability to be here for the long-haul, and lay a firm foundation for continuing to build a strong organization.

And, there’s so much more. In 2021, we’ve seen big, positive changes within the public land policy space that will set the stage for increased inclusion and access, and representation that reflects the whole of our country. These changes have opened up opportunities for HECHO to make an even bigger difference and greater contributions.

For example, in January, we watched the inauguration of a President who, on his first day in office, signed an executive order to protect public health and the environment and tackle the climate crisis. We welcomed our nation’s first woman and woman of color to take office as Vice President of the United States, an event that has been too long in the making. In March, Congresswoman Deb Haaland made history as the first Native American woman to lead the Department of the Interior, and we celebrated this important opportunity for Indigenous leadership and the protection of public lands. In September, we heralded the confirmation of Tracy Stone-Manning, a great conservation leader and close colleague of ours, to serve as the director of the Bureau of Land Management. In November, we witnessed the confirmation of Charles F. Sams III, the first Native American to lead the National Park Service, an historic and transformative moment for our country.

We made advancements in our mission to empower Hispanic leaders in the engagement of their communities in the conservation of public lands by becoming founding members of Monumental Shift, a coalition led by ethnically and racially diverse leaders working to change the way national monuments are created, funded, and stewarded. We also joined nearly two dozen leading Hispanic and Latinx organizations in the launch of a comprehensive Latino Climate Justice Framework to ensure that our community’s priorities are elevated and protected.

We amplified Hispanic voices and visibility with 11 (and counting) monthly guest blogs, 11 op-eds, and 5 LTEs, and 2 radio and podcast appearances. We participated in a number of roundtables, including those hosted by the White House, the Department of the Interior, and the Department of Agriculture. In October, HECHO Program Manager Bianca McGrath-Martinez joined Colorado Governor Jared Polis to announce a new state policy report focused on ways to increase habitat and wildlife corridor connectivity protections.

Our strong cultural connection to our nation’s diverse landscapes was recognized by the House of Representatives in both New Mexico and Colorado, spotlighting the important role of Hispanic leadership, knowledge, and traditions in the conservation of our public lands through the unanimous passage of New Mexico House Memorial 7, and a commendation from the Colorado delegation. Additionally, two counties in New Mexico -- San Miguel County and Santa Fe County -- passed resolutions honoring HECHO’s work and supporting HECHO’s Hispanic Conservation Leadership Council.

In November, the Department of the Interior released a long-awaited report recommending reforms to the outdated federal oil and gas leasing program that we have been staunch advocates for. We’re optimistic that this report will move the nation toward a land management process that is more inclusive, ensuring that all stakeholders and voices are a part of conversations to protect public lands.

This is progress, and there is still more! Once-in-a-generation legislation passed this year-- first, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, including laws that aim to restore public lands and waters, and will provide significant investments in economic growth. We played a significant role in ensuring the passage of this bill by making sure that our Congressional members heard from us-- directly and through op-eds, LTEs, case studies, and paid ads, and by elevating community leaders’ voices sharing how their communities would benefit from such investments. In November, we sent a letter signed by 40 local elected officials and community leaders from across the southwest to members of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources urging them to pass the Build Back Better Act to restore natural systems, protect communities against climate-fueled disasters, create jobs, and reform the federal oil and gas leasing system.

This has been an important year for the protection of our public lands, and we’re celebrating the finalization of two forest management plans that will help to ensure the future protection of ecologically important and culturally meaningful areas, like the Caja del Rio in the Santa Fe National Forest that is a place of profound cultural, historical, and spiritual significance home to petroglyphs and the San Antonio area of the Upper Rio Grande that was included as a special management area in the Carson National Forest Management Plan. This year also heralded the restoration of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments, protecting them for generations to come and inspiring a legacy of conservation and tribal co-management. In November, the Biden Administration also took an important step in the protection of public lands by prohibiting oil and gas leasing in a 10-mile buffer around the Chaco Culture National Historical Park. However, our advocacy work is far from over as we still support legislation like the Grand Canyon Protection Act that would permanently protect 1 million acres of public lands surrounding the Grand Canyon from the harmful and lasting damage of new uranium mining.

2021 has been a busy year for HECHO, but we’re grateful to be in community with you, and look forward to advancing our vision of building strong, culturally-rich communities connected to nature and each other.

The team and I are looking forward to what will be a welcome break from the lively pace of our work, and hope that you, too, will also be able to take some time for yourself.

Wishing you a wonderful holiday season.

Sincerely,
Camilla Simon
Executive Director, HECHO

P.S. A monthly donation helps build a base for us to continue to grow and expand. A $10/month recurring donation is a great way to make a significant commitment to HECHO's mission, and it is easy to set up too! After you've signed up as a monthly supporter, we will send you a special HECHO t-shirt.